aussietmrail

Hi Mick, wow coming along nicely, can you use nails to nail the track down to the concrete base,, the new house I can't do that, the sections will have to be pre-standing, I hope to screw the legs to the fence in four places to lock the layout from moving when setting it up, more work, legs won be like they were at old house . Look forward to seeing trains running again . Nice day here be working on joining the bridge together this afternoon. Tony from down under.

Hi Thomas, wow, great to see your spiral coming a long, how many levels , those long points are awesome , I would like those longer curved point , some 2 feet long on a curve rather than the Peco larger curved points , I have the longer straight express points . Your MBF board must be pretty good for outside , brother said even the water proof boards we do have wouldn't last long out side in our extreme weather conditions . The days here are pretty col with those winds, not far of to winter, I will be stepping up my construction of the bridge and layout to follow. How is the working outside, you said rocket fire from new year's eve party did the damage, wow rockets must of being falling out of the sky to do that damage,what happened. Keep the great work up and pics flowing of your progress, can't wait to see your high speed trains going through those points and spiral . Tony.

Hi Mick, wow nice work indeed , good felling to finely have trains running after the rebuild section you did , looking good inside the shed too, I have a new Technic in scenery I want to try , will save on plaster for outside and shouldn't cost too much, try it tomorrow and let you know if it will work. Like the videos. Tony from down under.

Hi Andrew, many thanks how are you and family going with this virus, it is hard for us to travel a long distance, a lot of shops closed , can't even go into a coffee shop and sit down only take away. Yeah I will be having a garden the northern end near the patio, don't really like to have too many straight sections only the station and bridge , I like single track running with passing loops more fun that way, it looks like there is double track but not, southern end after the bridge there is a reverse loop , has to be long enough for my trains to fit. The new bridge construction is well under way , I have cut out one side of the arch will cut the other side tomorrow and join both sides together hopefully give more strength to the bridge span of 14 feet.. Here is the one side cut ready to join tomorrow, the arch is two foot high from the rail deck road bridge will go beside it later. wow . Take care Tony from down under keeping on movingahead.

Hi Roddy, hope you and family are safe from that virus , getting harder to move over here now, can't travel far, do cop a fine if caught , not moving around much , yeah I saw on Google Earth the bridge you are talking about , make a good project to model as a town scene. Good news is I have finely start work on the layout mock-up decking and very happy indeed , didn't have time to set all of the decking will another day , now it is cooling down , will have to wait for the grass to dry out with the heavy due . The reason I doing mock-ups is that I can sort out any miss takes in the track plan like I did 4 feet out , luckily I had enough room to fix the miss take , had to add on an extra 4 feet making the layout to 48 foot in length a great size , I mightn't every extend the length of the layout . In the garden shed I will have two reverse loops so I can change the trains around on separate blocks, why I have double track to the bridge from the shed for same from the shed, I will now only need .one station instead of two, change the station name., have enough decking and track to complete the first circuit . All the decking legs be pre-standing and only be locking the layout curves to the fence on three sides , I bought a new jig saw, it is a 18volt plus/one Ryobi jig saw got plenty of grunt for a battery tool , will need the two 5 amp batteries charged up when doing a lot of cutting. Saturday I tested the jig saw out wow , will take a bit to get used to when cutting curves , cut out one side of the arch for the bridge, that be in the next post, so on a big high. Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

Hi Roddy, you are right the swing bridge does work , didn't think it did here is a video . I started work on the second curved approach decking, will look great ,got to use the diamond crossing. First pic, the first left point the smaller curve is accessing the the double track and right first point is access to the island platform , last pic the curved point smaller curve is access to the middle passing loop main line, the approach curve should be pretty close to the grass, may not need any sides, will see. Tony from down under keeping in moving ahead

HI Thomas, looking good , can you do a loco test run of what track you have down , I can see a white step will that be the access entrance to the main yard . Keep the great work up and pics flowing Tony

Hi Roddy, how are you going, thanks for the link, had a look , the swing bridge doesn't swing anymore going by the pic , thinking of building the side beams the same shape as that one . Big day tomorrow will be doing the big mock-up decking of the layout to see how it will fit in , if I need more curved decking, know I need more straight sections , pics to follow , days are cooling down now in the high 20's next Saturday 24 degrees, going to make the most of the cooler weather now. Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead.

Hi Mick, many thanks have seen on Google Earth you can change it to Google maps and no logo but street names and building to a link , l will post the links , , sadly you can't do the same with street cam . https://www.google.com/maps/@-34.9359407,138.5808006,88m/data=!3m1!1e3 Fist link a close up of the auto wagon siding loading dock dock and ramp for the second level of auto wagon, moved out the way for access to the lower level . https://www.google.com/maps/@-34.9371878,138.5821937,707m/data=!3m1!1e3 Second link of the station building and two platforms, second platform is and island platform with access ramp to under the r the track to station building, I hope to contact the AMRA president in South Australia, to ask if any of his members has pics of the station building inside mainly . Today I plan to start getting out the module to pull up the track and wiring so I can start modifying them where they be set u in the garden shed, also want to do a complete mock -up on how the decking will fit in the back yard and garden, may need more ply for decking mainly station area, also want to see how the swing bridge will fit. Can anyone give me idea on how the bridge deck will slide in on the main decking, have seen some modellers have curved decking like in a turn table. Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

A new approach module has being reborn, I decided to straighten the bridge and station up to do away with that small curve making way for the new approach module, got to use the double and single slip cross over and small one on top of the 3 way point. Giving access to the double tack main line and platform track , I be building the triple track first , still working on the curved approach module a second curved deck be merging onto the first one, heavy modifying . The first three pics , I be repaint the decking but will have to cut slot an inch past the to three cross overs so the decking for the triple track and auto side dock cut line up, have left the cross overs on the deck to do that , I will find out from Mick if I can put Google Earth pics on the post. Forth pic I made use f the ceiling fan yesterday, still was hot in the garden shed yesterday, next summer will have put a whirily bird on the roof to get the heat out, at least I have a good area to work outside the shed with the shade where I will do the cutting on Friday. Luckily last the new track plan , I have done away with the Tehachapi loop ides, not working out with the shipping canal , good news is construction is now under way, loo at the top end where the spiral is I am planning a swing bridge have a 7 foot span so big ships can pass through , may never extend the length of the layout . Tony from sunny down under keeping on moving ahead

Welcome Noel, great video have you actually finished the whole circuit, would love to see more, yeah how I would love to have a permanent garden railway and bugger having to shift house now have to plan a new garden railway, got progress pics to share be awesome . Tony from down under

Hi Thomas, wow very awesome indeed, you having a staging yard in too can't wait to see trains running on the curves, pretty big like mine. Keep the good work up and more pics, how is the weather stopped raining and warming up still in the low 30's here wont start dropping down till mid May. Tony from nice down under.

Hi Mick, have to agree with Andrew , pure awesome ,I love your long trains especially the container train , are those flat wagons 60 footers , I have 20 makes up a nice train longer the better, my longest freight is my 25 car spine car train caring trailers . What are those small wagons caring those special containers you had blue and yellow ones. Tony from cool down under., keep the great work up, do you have a couple of yards on that layout.

Hi Mick, pure awesome so far with you bridge , how wide is your road , is it that roll stuff you can by . That left over plastic can come in handy on other fencing modelling projects. Tony from down under

Thank you Mick for changing the old layout name to the new name , summer is still here 36 degrees today, has being very muggy as well, very hot in the garden shed, all goes well will get a whirly bird fitted will help, one good thing is there is shade form the shed of an afternoon, where I can do all the cutting and rebuilding of the modules. Have some where to have the vertical staging yard , be 8 foot long by 4 to 5 tracks wide , second level come later, have some where to set up trains. Be cooler by the end of the week , be start work on the bridge, will look good when finished , the main feather of the layout. Tony from sunny warm down under keeping on moving ahead.

The wife has laid down the law, no trains in the patio area, that spelt the end of Camdale , I managed to save the layout with having to modify all the modules, the very first layout I started working on has being reborn again the famous Tehachapi loop,m working out a lot better and be able to model the Loop farm . Other changes to the layout is the Ro, Ro port, more room can model Immingham port, with a harbour to turn ships around, room for the Ro, Ro ships and container port with a cruise terminal , I be busy building a container and cruise ship . Have a new name for the layout Tm'osdell, asked Mick to change the second Camdale post to the new name, no memories for the old house, stage one length is 40 feet , not sure on stage two, will have the Perth terminal and through suburban island platform . The shed will 5 modules in it with reverse loop and vertical staging double deck yard 4 tracks wide , stage one will have a smaller large country station with 6 tracks and one to be a passing loop for freight trains. Still hot here, 35 degrees tomorrow, not doing much work on the layout till after the council elections which I am involved in helping to candidates , only work be on the bridge depends on how long I be able to borrow my brothers jig saw., shouldn't of thrown my electric one out The Darwin station won't be there all the time only when running on the line , be in tree small 7 foot modules, very excited in the new track plan Tony from warm down under keeping on moving ahead

Hi Mick,, how long are your trains to fin on each track , my blocks be 30 feet in length especially the passing loops, my layout is based on single track running by passing loops, hope to extend the single track . Wow you are coming along well with the bridge love your brick work to scale, a question how high are steps in HO scale , my ship has a set of steps up to the stern rope room 4 steps high , have started work on the ship again , cut out and glues the two bulkhead, last two for the stern section, tomorrow night will glue the bulkheads in place . Tony

Hi Mick, the rain has gone for now , the side point motor pretty expensive over here would love some $24 , Atlas have one that goes under the point half the price I have one for testing to see if it will switch Peco points., going back to ID#189. Love your staging yard ans you are adding more track , my vertical staging yard will probably have 5 tracks be double deck ,the coil train does it ave covers to protect the steel coils from rain, US trains their coil wagons have covers easy to model . ID# 189 I am building up my freight train, don't have a coil train next on the wish list, longer the better, my freight trains be 30 feet in length, longer the better, love long trains. Started work on my double track rail bride, like your road bridge with the girder sides, will have a couple like yours on my layout. Tony from sunny down under

With the move form old house to new, is time to redesign the bridge, will be made in one 14 foot length, will store in the garage once built, will save time in setting up rather than joining three sections, basing the rail bridge on a Crimean Bridge linking Russia, I made up a mock -up bridge arch t see what it will look like pretty happy . The new bridge will have 2 foot clearance , ship will look heaps better sitting underneath it. side beam will be joined together making it stronger, have to cut 12 mm square framing for the second beam , the frame work in under the second beam be cut out of 3 mm ply strips, lot of work ahead, got a cooler day Thursday , will cut the second side beam strips out of ply . I like the way the steps are made , will do the same, not sure if I will have the other side with steps, waiting for my brother to bring hid battery jig saw so I can cut out the arches, be a while before I can buy mine . Tony from sunny down under.

Evening Mick, Yeah did think of razing the floor be cheaper to have a concrete drain at the side and front of the shed, will have to go down and open the shed to see if any water came from the storms last night, year some water came in, thinking of using bitumen tar, will find out today when we go to Bunning , just got the mowing in late yesterday afternoon, was pretty humid shirt and shorts wet . Yesterday morning I shifted the modules and bridge around, to give more room to work on modules, tomorrow I be marking out the arches for the new bridge, I think I will join the arches up in the middle saving on one less arch join , arch is 5 feet in diameter feet 8 foot arch , mower will go in on the peg board side shift it outside out the way when working on the modules. Tony from cloudy down under keeping on moving ahead.

Have found a better pic of what I be basing my rail bridge on, will make it a lot stronger and better to move around in one 14 foot length. Tony from humid down under keeping on moving ahead.

WE sure had a lot of rain big storm today dumped 40 mm's in an hour , poor shed, it looks I need to dig out beside the shed for a concrete drain or plastic channel and in front of the shed, at least the other side and back of shed has worked.. I have shifted the peg board and will have to move it 15 inches more to fit the two sets of shelving, after I have moved the shelving will move the modules down , doing so have given more room to work on modules, will finish the move off tomorrow, between shores, not as bad . Have pulled up the track and points on the old spiral corner module to become the new approach, will get that one out the way to work on the old car port corner module to become the western corner module., the next module is the next one to work on, once track is off, have to modify, the corner be 4 foot wide by 42 inches long extension. The last two pics, I am basing my rail bridge on the second last pic rail bridge under construction, m arch will have an eight foot diameter, the only way was to be 3foot high off the rail deck , I am thinking of cutting the 8foot arch in two pieces and join them in the middle, the side beam be 8 to 10 feet in length, will start marking the arch from the two 7 foot in length by 6 inches radius curve decking . Making the most of the cooler weather even though it is humid , can't show the pic sadly has copy right on ii will find another pic of bridge. Tony from humid and wet down under keeping on moving ahead

Now down under's turn for the big wet , from over night to this afternoon we have had at least 90 mm's of rain, poor shed has flooded again, now will have to dig to put in a drain around the shed , concrete slab not high enough water lapping the top f the bottom shed base framing one side. Pic one the old approach module is now no more, points track and wiring gone now ready to be modified into the new eastern corner module, pic two the very first point and cross over mock-up pic is going where the arrow saying mock-up photo , as in track. Have changed where the track leading into the terminus platforms, will now have a new approach module, sadly the station building be out in the open, down the track will get a cover to protect from sun mainly, once the rain goes and yard dry out will get stuck back into the modifying of the modules. Plan to change the modules around and peg board will be hanging up with J hooks so the not screwed to shelving, may jive more room to work on modules, see what the weather is like Saturday and Sunday . Slowly starting to move ahead, aiming for my birthday , be a big birthday present to see the trains finely running , good news is I may be going DCC after June see what birthday money I get, thinking of going Digikijs , a few blokes in my train clug are raving about it, good thing is it has Wi-Fi and you use your smart phone as a controller, in my price range, got two trains and one loco with DCC on board , wont be getting any locos with sound straight away., Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

The old approach module is no more , I pulled up all the track and points , turned it over to pull up the wire staples, not finished , rain coming in Tuesday , see how cool it be Monday afternoon hot day 40 degrees ouch. Have decided that the old approach module be come after modifying it to be the eastern front corner module. To the right of the last where the whipper sniper is hanging up with J hooks, I had a spare one and had a go in pushing it through the top shed beam wow it worked so now going to buy more about 7 and can hang the beg board up the I hoped up higher and not screwed to the shelving as in the last pic, be busy next week after I buy them , garden up out the way, pic to follow.. These are jobs I can do of an afternoon till it gets cooler, can't wait . Tony from hot down under keeping on moving ahead

Hi Thomas, not good at all, jealous neighbours , agree what you are saying, , they couldn't through a brick over , cat can get out the way in fright did more damage, have a word make the problem worse, be a good idea to install cctv camera, catch them in the act. I have the same issue now with neighbours being so close worrying about the noise of my saws when I start building , thinking of joining the local men's shed, will find out if I can do my own projects, get help as well. Have started planning the new bridge, will have a full above arch, bridge be made in one full 14 foot piece. Tony from hot down under, rain coming in next week very hot Monday 40 degrees.